When discussing data quality issues, we frequently address issues where inconsistent data can lead to analysis problems. The 2012 Olympics present an interesting variant where the input data is the same, but leads to a different answer…
Have we reached the “Data Event Horizon”?
A recent Twitter conversation with Sarah Burnett (a leading UK public sector analyst) was the trigger for this slightly tongue in cheek blog post. Sarah originally posted the following tweet: Which is an astounding statistic. Sarah and I then the
Is data slowing down “the business”?
I just spotted an interesting article in Computer Weekly “High touch is just as important as high tech“. The article paints an objective picture about how human interactions have been changed by technology. From a data perspective there is an
Data and the “Internet of Things”
The “Internet of Things” is an interesting concept that is slowly becoming a reality. The concept proposes that all physical objects are both able to connect to the internet and to communicate with each other. In this post we consider
Take COINS data analysis with a pinch of salt?
Recently the UK government published extracts from the COINS database. COINS stands for the Combined On-line Information System and the extract contains details of all expenditure by UK Government Departments over £25K for the years 2008/9 and 2009/10. Expenditure is
Computer software triage
Triage is a technique used in medical emergencies to help prioritise scarce care resources towards those most in need. Various versions of triage have been developed and refined since the concept was first developed in the First World War. Similar
Is computer analysis accurate?
Clearly, when computers are required to perform “straight forward” calculations they are accurate. For example, when adding up a series of values they will get the correct answer. A recent Dataspora blog post postulates that we are not far from
What is an asset?
One of the often quoted examples (challenges) over business definitions is the case of gaining a common definition of the term “Customer” within an organisation. This can result in lengthy debate over whether a customer is the person who pays
Enigma and Bletchley Park – Lessons for today
I went to a lecture by Dr. Mark Baldwin yesterday on the Enigma encryption machine used by Germany during World War 2 and the work of Bletchley Park in breaking the Enigma codes. The successful breaking of the codes has
Similarities between data quality issues and computer security security approaches?
I went to a very informative presentation last night by Professor Mark Ryan of Birmingham University. He is a specialist in computer security and the pitfalls of different approaches to computer architecture. It was a thought provoking presentation, particularly Mark’s